Good Morning Stormcloud! Over the next few weeks we’re going to be looking at evaluating how the Chargers have addressed each position since this time last season. Whilst we are not going to be reviewing the incumbent starters there is plenty to get through, this evaluation will therefore include:
- Returning players who signed a new deal with the team
- External free agents who signed before the May 1st compensation pick exemption deadline
- Players who were added in any of the seven rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft
- Undrafted free agents (UDFA) who signed deals with the team after the draft
- Unsigned players who are listed as camp invites in media reports
Note: If a player has an asterisk after their name (*) this means that they were added during the 2024 season and have been retained
We are starting on offense with the most important position first; Quarterback.
Outgoing players
- Easton Stick (Atlanta Falcons)
- Max Duggan (St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL)
- Casey Bauman (unsigned)
The new look QB room
- Incumbent (1) : Justin Herbert
- Returning (1): Taylor Heinicke*
- In (2): Trey Lance, D.J. Uiagalelei
- Camp Invite (1): Spencer Petras
Returning
The team resigned Taylor Heinicke to a new one year deal worth $2,500,000. This was pretty much a given considering the 7th round trade capital the team gave up to get him from the Atlanta Falcons just before the start of the 2024 season. The eight months he has had in Greg Roman’s system haven’t quite been enough to understand if he needs to be replaced and his talent level far exceeds his competition for the time being he is very much secure as the teams’ backup signal caller.
Free Agents
The Chargers signed Trey Lance to a one year $2,000,000 deal that at least puts him in the conversation for competition should Heinicke have troubles in training camp. The former third overall draft pick offers a different skill set but from the preseason game last season it seems like he’s a unlikely to earn a game day roster spot. One way he could contribute to the team is to run Harbaugh’s favorite QB Power concept in preseason, Lance could install the blocking patterns without risking Herbert’s body.
UDFA
D.J. Uiagalelei was once the #2 prospect in the country when he was leaving the powerhouse St. John’s Bosco high school to go to Clemson but he has faltered at every step of the way since then, stumbling through two more Power 5 schools before launching an unlikely bid for the NFL. Despite his long-gone status as a future first round pick I find it hard to believe he’s anything more than a camp body. I had to go back three years to even find a highlight reel for him which is really saying something.
Spencer Petras was someone who kept catching my eye when I was watching film on his wide receiver Jalen Royals. The former Iowa quarterback is a big guy who isn’t afraid to rip the ball into tight windows especially in the middle of the field but he is very loose with the ball and he was actually benched for that carelessness. He has actually been invited to another camp by the Chiefs so it is yet to be seen which team he chooses to attend.
Reasons for change
The minor change here is simply bottom of the roster churn to see if there are options beyond Heincke who came slightly unstuck when he was asked to step in for Herbert after his injury against Steelers last season.
Position Reset Evaluation
I would call this one chalk because the battle for QB3 looks weaker but the backup job is much more secure than in recent years. They could look to add another body before training camp gets going, the history of Joe Hortiz’s affinity for bottom of the roster churn tells us this is likely after adding both Luis Perez and Taylor Heineke (via trade) during the later stages of the off-season. However unless Trey Lance shows significant improvements I have a feeling the Chargers will only carry two quarterbacks on the active roster during the regular season with a much deeper roster overall.
I hope you are correct on this. They could really use that roster spot to address one of the roster pressure points they will face, since they will only be able to keep 6 of these positions,:
QB3 – I assume Lance
RB4 – I predict Sanders would beat out Vidal but not Haskins
FB1 – Matlock
WR7 – Rice/Reagor (assuming Davis is securely in as WR6)
TE4 – Fisk
OL9 – one of Taylor/James/Salyer
Edge5 – ?
IDL6 – IMO this is Ogbonnia
LB5 – Phillips
CB6 – Taylor for now
S5 – Jefferson (assuming Mickens is above Jefferson on depth chart)
5 of those roster spots cannot make it. Which 5? Easy calls:
FB1, OL9, LB5, and CB6 are in
WR7, Edge5, and S5 are out
That means keeping only 2 of these 4: QB3, RB4, TE4, IDL6. If QB3 goes to practice squad, it’s an easier decision.